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Postdoctoral Position in Time-lapsed Imaging and Multiscale Modeling of Human Bone Fracture Healing

The aim of the research is to perform time-lapsed high-resolution CT imaging and multiscale modeling of distal radius bone fractures in patients and to investigate the in vivo healing process employing image processing and analysis. Bone fractures are very common and in 5-10% of the cases do not heal or are delayed. Nevertheless, factors influencing the healing outcome are not yet well understood. The specific aims of this 2-year project will therefore be (1) to perform high-resolution CT imaging in fracture patients and develop image analysis and registration methods to determine in vivo bone resorption and formation sites during fracture healing at the human distal radius, (2) to assess local bone remodeling and comparing the results with clinical biomarker measurements including whole bone strength through multiscale modeling approaches, and (3) to evaluate how bone remodeling during fracture healing affects whole bone strength in healthy, aged and osteoporotic humans.

The position will be based at the Inselspital Bern and at ETH Zurich. Furthermore, this project is embedded in a larger effort funded by the National Science Foundations of Switzerland, Germany, and Austria through a DACH consortium grant consisting of Ulm University (D), the Medical University Innsbruck (A), and the Inselspital Bern and ETH Zurich (CH). The overall goal of the consortium is to investigate local bone remodeling and mechanoregulation of bone fracture healing in healthy, aged, and osteoporotic humans.

The successful candidate holds or will soon receive a doctoral degree in Biomedical, Electrical or Mechanical Engineering, and has preferentially a background in imaging and image processing. It is essential that the candidate is willing and motivated to work at the interface between engineering and clinical research. Additionally, excellent communication skills in English (oral and written) are required and command of the German language is required for the clinical interactions.

We look forward to receiving your online application includinga a motivation letter, CV, university transcripts and names and contact details of two references. Please note that we exclusively accept applications submitted through our online application portal. Applications via email or postal services will not be considered.

For further information about the group please visit our website www.bone.ethz.ch. Questions regarding the position should be directed to Dr. Patrik Christen by email patrik.christen[at]hest.ethz.ch (no applications).

PhD Position in Time-lapsed Imaging and Multiscale Modeling of Human Bone Fracture Healing

The aim of the research is to perform time-lapsed high-resolution CT imaging and multiscale modeling of distal radius bone fractures in patients and to investigate the in vivo healing process employing image processing and analysis. Bone fractures are very common and in 5-10% of the cases do not heal or are delayed. Nevertheless, factors influencing the healing outcome are not yet well understood. The specific aims of this PhD project will therefore be (1) to develop image analysis and registration methods to determine in vivo bone resorption and formation sites during fracture healing at the human distal radius, (2) to assess local bone remodeling and comparing the results with clinical biomarker measurements including whole bone strength through multiscale modeling approaches, and (3) to evaluate how bone remodeling during fracture healing affects whole bone strength in healthy, aged and osteoporotic humans.

The position will be based at the Inselspital Bern and at ETH Zurich, where the candidate will be enrolled in the Doctorate Program. Furthermore, this PhD project is embedded in a larger effort funded by the National Science Foundations of Switzerland, Germany, and Austria through a DACH consortium grant consisting of Ulm University (D), the Medical University Innsbruck (A), and the Inselspital Bern and ETH Zurich (CH). The overall goal of the consortium is to investigate local bone remodeling and mechanoregulation of bone fracture healing in healthy, aged, and osteoporotic humans.

The successful candidate holds or will soon receive a master’s degree in Biomedical, Electrical or Mechanical Engineering, and has preferentially a background in imaging and image processing. It is essential that the candidate is willing and motivated to work at the interface between engineering and clinical research. Additionally, excellent communication skills in English (oral and written) are required. Knowledge of German is advantageous for the clinical interactions but not absolutely required.

We look forward to receiving your online application includinga a motivation letter, CV, university transcripts and names and contact details of two references. Please note that we exclusively accept applications submitted through our online application portal. Applications via email or postal services will not be considered.

For further information about the group please visit our website www.bone.ethz.ch. Questions regarding the position should be directed to Dr. Patrik Christen by email patrik.christen[at]hest.ethz.ch (no applications).

PhD Position: Contribution to the improvement of a FE neck model for robust and bio-fidelic simulations

Context

The LBMC develops 3D Finite Element (FE) models to study the behaviour of the human body for applications in crash injury risk assessment, ergonomics and clinical orthopaedics. In these last two contexts, LBMC’s ‘Biomechanics and Ergonomics’ and ‘Biomechanics and Orthopaedics’ research teams have been developing subject-specific musculoskeletal models that aim at representing a virtual subject together with its physiological or pathological state. The EC funded DEMU2NECK project resulted in the development of a detailed FE model of the human neck within this framework. Results from this work allowed to identify the potential benefits of modelling 3D muscular actions (as opposed to 1D lines of action as is currently the case) to better account for the complex biomechanical loading that takes place within the cervical spine during tasks of the daily life. This potential may especially concern our ability to better model subject-specific characteristics, including for example a possible degradation of the muscular functional capacity resulting from either pathology or ageing. Benefits may thus be expected within applications regarding the assistance to the design of medical devices such as spinal implants and prostheses, by contributing to foster the development of ‘in-silico’ clinical trials, but also through the transfer towards applications related to ergonomics or virtual testing for the injury risk assessment of the vehicle occupant in poorly defined out-of-position scenarios (e.g. to better account for the driver’s postural behaviour in a pre-crash phase in the case of future autonomous vehicles).

Objectives

In order to support the development of such applications and ultimately of their use within virtual biomechanical or clinical trials, it is necessary to pursue the work already initiated to ensure the robustness of the active muscle model. This work targets both the numerical verification and the model validation as part of a VV&UQ (Verification Validation and Uncertainty Quantification) framework that is currently developed at LBMC trough a formalised multi-team research effort on the topic. This effort is also supported by Ifsttar through the funding of a MSc student industry placement at LBMC.

The PhD Thesis work will thus focus on the following objectives:

– Improve the robustness of the FE neck muscle model. Accounting for the active part of the muscle in a FE model remains a novel and challenging task, and this objective forms the core of the expected exploratory research and dissemination work. It may target several aspects:

The evaluation and improvement of the mechanical formulation and implementation of the active muscle model currently implemented in the LSDyna FE code (i.e. a coupled passive 3D matrix/1D active Hill-type elements),

The evaluation and estimation of task-related patterns of activation/muscle force distributions through a parallel FE/rigid-body co-simulation calculation loop,

The contribution to the gathering of dynamic in-vivo muscle validation data to help better validate the above predicted muscle force distributions. –

– Further pursue the integration of the subject-specific geometric personalizing approaches that have already been developed at LBMC, for use with medical imaging,

– Further improve the validation and bio-fidelity of the model, and apply it to the study of case-studies of pathologies (such as degenerative muscular pathology or cervical dystonia) and to the comparative predictive evaluation of a range of technical or surgical designs used in cervical arthrodesis or arthroplasty.

The student will be hosted within the ‘Biomechanics and Orthopaedics’ team. He/she will be jointly supervised by two researchers holding complementary expertise in FE and rigid-body dynamics modelling, as well as having positive experience of several co-supervisions on the topic. Equipment includes access to both HyperWorks/Radioss and LSDyna licenses, as well as to Lyon 1 University Department of Mechanics’ P2CHPD calculation cluster.

PhD candidate selection criteria

He/she will hold a MSc (or equivalent) in Mechanics or Mechanical Engineering with excellent results. He/she will also present some relevant prior experience with FE and/or rigid-body modelling as well as some good practical knowledge and strong interest in coding (Matlab, Scilab, Python). A background in biomechanics will be a strong plus for the application.

Application Applications should be made through the following website, where further information is also provided:

Open Position for a University Assistant in Biomechanics and Proteomics

Description: The Institute of Lightweight Design and Structural Biomechanics (ILSB) of TU Wien invites applications for the position of a University Assistant in the area of biomechanics and protein analysis. The mechanics of biological tissue are closely related to their hierarchical structure and composition. For example the absence of certain noncollagenous proteins in bone has been shown to be deleterious for fracture toughness. Similarly, the presence of sugar-mediated cross-links in collagen within bone as well as in musculoskeletal soft tissues such as tendons or ligaments is thought to alter their material properties. The candidate sought for this position will work at the cross-roads of tissue composition and mechanics, whereby the compositional aspects will be investigated via mass-spectrometry methods under supervision of Prof. M. Marchetti-Deschmann of the Institute of Chemical Technologies and Analytics of TU Wien. A special focus will be on the compositional aspects of the enthesis (the tendon-to-bone-junction) as well as on tendon and isolated individual collagen fibrils. Mechanical tests will be conducted mostly with via atomic force microscopy in the Interfacultary Laboratory for Nano- and Micromechanics of Biological and Biomimetical Materials, employing where the ILSB is a major stakeholder. In addition to conducting research towards a PhD degree the post will also entail participation in administrative tasks and teaching activities at the ILSB.

Qualifications: We are looking for an individual with a completed MSc in Biomedical Engineering, Physics or a related discipline. Skills and knowledge in biomechanics, biochemistry, chemical analysis will be advantageous. Further, German language skills (native speaker or level B2 according to CEFR) are required.

Postdoctoral Research Associate in Skeletal Ageing and Biomechanics at Insigneo

Job Title:
Postdoctoral Research Associate in Skeletal Ageing and Biomechanics

Description:
A position has become available for a highly motivated postdoctoral research scientist to be involved with studies to determine the effects of geroprotectors on bone and joint ageing.
You will use ex vivo X-ray microCT and histomorphometry combined with new computational approaches for an in depth structural analysis of bone, bone strength, cartilage degradation and subchondral bone changes.
The post is funded by Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and will be based at the Insigneo Institute for In silico Medicine and the MRC Arthritis Research UK Centre for Integrated research into Musculoskeletal Ageing (CIMA) in Sheffield.
You should hold a PhD in Engineering, Physics or related disciplines, be familiar with experimental, imaging, image processing and computational modelling techniques for assessment of bone properties. A willingness to learn histological techniques is also essential.
The post is fixed term until the end of December 2019, reporting to Dr Enrico Dall’Ara and Prof. Bellantuono

Postdoc Mechanical Optimization of Scoliosis Treatment

The Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) has the following vacancy: Postdoctoral researcher – Mechanical Optimization of Scoliosis Treatment

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Job description

About TU/e:

The TU/e is a University of Technology with a focus on Health, Energy and Mobility. Within the Health area, several departments cooperate on topics such as Chemical Biology, Regenerative Medicine, Computational Biology, and Biosensing, with close links to healthcare and industry. The TU/e is an open and inclusive university with short communication lines. The people are curious, collaborative, and strive for excellence. TU/e enables its academic staff to develop research and education at an internationally renowned level. Our lively campus community facilitates connections between staff and students, in an open, friendly, vibrant atmosphere that welcomes and inspires.

About BME:

The Department of Biomedical Engineering offers a research driven BME Bachelor program and Masters in Biomedical Engineering and Medical Engineering in its Graduate Program. Its research areas range from Molecular Bioengineering and Imaging, Biomechanics and Tissue Engineering to Biomedical Imaging and Modelling. The department has more than 800 students and up to 200 tenured and non-tenured employees.

About the Orthopaedic Biomechanics group:

This group combines the disciplines of engineering and biology to increase our knowledge of the adaptive, developmental and physiological nature of musculoskeletal tissues. This knowledge is then applied to explore and develop regenerative treatment strategies, currently applied to bone, articular cartilage, intervertebral disc and tendons/ligaments. The group consists of multi-disciplinary scientists and engineers at all levels employing numerical and experimental as well as engineering, imaging, biological and chemical techniques.

About InSciTe:

This position is part of the Chemelot Institute for Science & Technology (InSciTe), a public-private institute for developing smart healing biomedical materials for high quality, affordable healthcare. With its physical nucleus at Brightlands Chemelot Campus, it enables entrepreneurship, expertise, experimentation and education in an open innovation network. In this project, the founding partners, MUMC+, TU/e and DSM will work together with other partners to achieve their aim of bringing a new treatment for scoliosis to first-in-man trials.

Job description

In earlier work, the partners developed a new strategy for the treatment of scoliosis (an abnormal curvature of the spine) in growing children. With this strategy, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fibres are used in combination with metal rods to correct the spinal deformity. The number of levels to be treated, as well as the placement of fixation screw, however, are dependent on the severity of the deformation and other patient-specific factors. In order to optimize the design, a computer model is developed based on the finite element method. This model can represent the spine and the instrumentation and can be made to fit the patent by adjusting a limited number of parameters. The aim of the project is to develop this model into a pre-clinical and a patient-specific pre-operative tool to optimize the treatment. As these suggestions for optimization involve other parts of the project, there will be close interaction with the entire team.

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Job requirements

We are accepting applications from enthusiastic candidates who are interested in a dynamic, stimulating and ambitious environment to perform their work. The candidate must have a PhD degree in biomedical engineering, mechanical engineering, physics or equivalent.

Candidates are expected to have good (bio)mechanical insight, extensive experience with (non-linear) finite element analyses (e.g. using MSC.Marc, Abaqus or Ansys), mechanical testing techniques, and interested in manufacturing and developing a product and establishing dedicated testing environments. The candidate will be able to effectively communicate scientific ideas, foster collaboration and have a capability for independent thinking. Moreover, the candidate should be able to work independently within a dynamic team and be skilled in written and spoken English.

Conditions of employment

We offer you:

An exciting job in a dynamic work environment

A full time appointment for 1 year by Eindhoven University of Technology (www.tue.nl/en). After a good evaluation your contract can be extended with an additional year.

A gross monthly salary is in accordance with the Collective Labor Agreement of the Dutch Universities (scale 10 ), depending on your experience.

Other information can be obtained from the HR department, email: HRServices.Gemini@tue.nl

If you would like to apply, please send us your application by using the ‘apply now’ button on the TU/e website.

Your application should be addressed to dr. Bert van Rietbergen or prof.dr. Keita Ito, and must include: a one-page personal motivation letter, a CV including the names and contact details of two recent references and a transcript of your masters studies. Only complete applications will be considered.

Screening of applicants will start as soon as applications are received and will continue until the position has been filled.

Empa is the research institute for materials science and technology of the ETH Domain and conducts cutting-edge research for the benefit of industry and the well-being of society.

Our Laboratory for Mechanics of Materials and Nanostructures in Thun is looking for a

PhD Student in the field of Biomechanics

YourTasks

You will work on a project funded by the Special Focus Area Personalized Health and Related Technologies (PHRT) of the ETH Domain. The research will contribute to understanding the effect of aging and disease on the composition and multiscale mechanical properties of bone and its impact on whole bone strength. You will be enrolled in a doctoral program in Biomedical Engineering at University of Bern and investigate properties of human bone biopsies in collaboration with clinical partners. During the course of the project, you will be involved in sample preparation, micromechanical experiments under physiological conditions, Raman spectroscopy, proteome analysis, as well as in-depth statistical data analysis.

The project is initiated in cooperation with Prof. Philippe Zysset of the Institute of Surgical Technology and Biomechanics of the University of Bern. Further project partners are situated at the Inselspital of the University of Bern as well as ETH Zürich.

YourProfile

You must hold a Master’s or an equivalent Degree in Biomedical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, or Materials Science. A high motivation to work at the leading edge of biomedical research in an international, multidisciplinary team is essential. Good knowledge of English (oral and written) is very important and knowledge of German would be an advantage. Experience in biomedical research, nanomechanical testing, as well as programming (e.g. Python, Matlab) is desirable.

We look forward to receiving your online application including a letter of motivation, CV, diplomas with transcripts and contact details of two to three referees. Please upload the requested documents through our webpage. Applications via email will not be considered.

PhD in mechanistic modelling of chondrocyte-mediated destruction of hyaline cartilage in relation with subchondral bone morphology and inflammation in osteoarthritis and intervertebral disc degeneration

CENTER

CENTER DESCRIPTION

The Department of Information and Communication Technologies (DTIC) of Universitat Pompeu Fabra covers a broad range of research topics: Computation and Intelligent Systems; Multimedia Technologies; Networks and Communications; Computational Biology and Biomedical Systems; and the Center of Brain and Cognition (CBC). This broad spectrum of topics reflects the current interdisciplinary reality of cutting edge research in ICT. The DTIC is now running a Maria de Maeztu Strategic Research Program on data-driven knowledge extraction, boosting synergistic research initiatives across our different research areas.

The DTIC consistently ranks among the top computer science departments in Spain (e.g. the only computer science department from an Spanish university that has even been included in the top 100 of the Shanghai Ranking).

Its PhD program offers advanced training in this interdisciplinary field, becoming an innovative and unique program in Spain. The DTIC PhD program has been growing steadily and currently hosts about 140 PhD students and 40 supervisors. The program received a Mention of Excellence award from the Ministry of Science and Innovation in 2011.

The UPF university was awarded in 2010 the distinction of International Excellence Campus by the Spanish Ministry of Education and it is widely considered to be one of the best universities in Spain (e.g. is the top Spanish university according to 2013 Times Higher Education Ranking).

The UPF is located in Barcelona. Its excellent location on the shores of the Mediterranean, its gentle climate, its open, cosmopolitan character, its gastronomy and architecture make Barcelona an extraordinary place to live. The DTIC is sited in UPF’s Communication Campus, which was opened in 2009 and is located within the vibrant 22@ technological district of Barcelona.

GROUP DISCIPLINES

GROUP LEADER

POSITION DESCRIPTION

-Research Project / Research Group Description:

The proposed PhD will involve the Biomechanics and Mechanobiology (BMMB) and the Machine Learning for Personalised Medicine areas of BCN MedTech. BCN MedTech focuses on biomedical integrative research, including mathematical and computational models, algorithms and systems for computer-aided diagnosis and treatment of health problems. It has 60 full time researchers working on computational simulations, image analyses, signal processing, machine learning, and biomedical electronics.

Early cartilage degradation in osteochondral systems is poorly understood. In early osteoarthritis (OA), new theories point out the involvement of subchondral bone structural and mechanical changes [1]. In the IVD, the hyaline cartilage adjacent to the subchondral bone shows the first signs of ageing [2], and numerical explorations by the BMMB team have pointed out that specific subchondral bone structures induce above-average fluid velocities in the adjacent cartilage [3]. Thanks to the coupling of continuum tissue models and cell biology models, the BMMB team has recently demonstrated that early degradation of the IVD osteochondral layer is likely to result in the propagation of degenerative changes in the organ [4].

Accordingly, this project will explore new common paradigms of early OA and IVD degeneration processes through mechanistic modelling of the relationships among tissue interstitial fluid flow, chondrocyte mechanostimulation, inflammation and cartilage extracellular matrix turnover. It will involve finite element poromechanical models, and agent-based models of chondrocyte biological activity in different physical and biochemical environments. Model assessment will be achieved through experimental data on articular cartilage biology and multiphysics in OA patients, though an ongoing collaborative project with the Hospital del Mar, and though collaborations with the Universites of Zaragoza and Liège. Simulation results will be analysed through interpretable machine learning techniques.

-Job position description:

The successful candidate will work in a highly international environment in interaction with biomechanicians, biologists and computer scientists. He/She will be in charge of developing an intracellular network model for the simulation of chondrocyte mechanosensitivity in different inflammatory and nutritional environments, based on generic systems biology Boolean models. He/She will also handle multiphysics poromechanical models of the cartilage tissue matrix available at UPF to simulate the mechanical environment of the chondrocytes, simulated as agents. Sensitivity analyses, model evaluation and result interpretation will involve state-of-the-art techniques for model uncertainty evaluation and parameter/result classifications through in-house interpretable machine learning theories. He/She will actively participate to internal research seminars and international conferences in fields related with biomedical engineering, biomechanics, systems biology and rheumatology.

Candidates are expected to have a bachelor and master degrees in biomedical engineering, physics, applied mathematics or any related fields. They should be able to work in a team environment and have good communication skills. Proficient English is mandatory. For any inquiry, please contact Dr Jerome Noailly: Jerome.noailly@upf.edu

Project Description

Start date: 01 February 2018
Application deadline: 31 December 2017
Interview date: week commencing the 15th January 2018Applications are invited for a fully-funded, three-year PhD studentship at the University of Portsmouth, to commence at the beginning of February, 2018. This PhD is in collaboration with Botiss Biomaterials and the successful applicant will get the opportunity to work as part of a multi-disciplinary team that brings together expertise in biomaterials for bone tissue regeneration, X-ray computed tomography (XCT), in situ mechanical testing and digital volume correlation (DVC). The candidate will benefit from support in Biomechanical Imaging available at the Zeiss Global Centre (ZGC) in the School of Engineering. Professor Gordon Blunn (University of Portsmouth) and Dr Mike Barbeck (Botiss Biomaterials) complete the supervisory team.

Project
Mg-based biomaterlals are able to provide structural support in load-bearing regions and allow bone regeneration to take place over time. However, uncontrolled degradation rate in vivo could result in insufficient mechanical stability during regeneration. Recently, high-resolution microCT imaging combined with in situ mechanical testing (4D evaluation) and digital volume correlation (DVC) allowed a detailed assessment of local microdamage progression, as well as the quantification of 3D deformation in bone-biomaterial systems. However, to date the mechanical competence of Mg-bone integration in vivo is still unknown. The aim of this project is to investigate how the mechanical behaviour of Mg-based implants is influenced by dissolution time and osteoregeneratlon performance. The project will ultimately produce fundamental knowledge aiming at fully establishing Mg-based alloys in the clinical context, through the development of a new generation of products for orthopaedic applications.

Candidate specification
Applications from candidates with a background in biomechanics, biomaterials, X-ray tomography, mechanical testing or related subject areas are welcomed. The successful applicant will receive adequate training and support to develop the necessary skills for a successful completion of the programme. We are seeking to appoint an enthusiastic and committed candidate with excellent interpersonal and organisational skills.

Fees
The fully-funded, full-time three-year studentship provides a stipend that is in line with that offered by Research Councils UK of £14,553 per annum as well as a waiver of tuition fees. The successful candidate will also receive full access to the University’s Graduate School Development Programme, research training, and internal qualifications that enable applications for Associate Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy.

Enquiries and application
Informal enquiries are encouraged and can be made to Dr Gianluca Tozzi on +44 (0)23 9284 2514 or via email at gianluca.tozzi@port.ac.uk.

You can apply online by submitting your CV, two references and copies of any relevant qualifications. Please quote the project code – ENGN3861217- when prompted. In your application, please indicate your motivation for applying for the post and also outline how your experience and skill-set will contribute to the project. If English is not your first language, please provide evidence of IELTS (score of 6.5, with no component falling below 6.0).

Funding Notes

The fully-funded full-time studentship provides three years of support to cover tuition fees, and a stipend that is in line with that offered by Research Councils UK of £14,553 per annum.

The Laboratory for Bone Biomechanics headed by Prof. Ralph Müller at the Department of Health Sciences & Technology, Institute for Biomechanics at ETH Zurich is offering an

ERC-Funded PhD Position in Computational Modelling of Bone Adaptation and Regeneration

The aim of the research is to develop computational models of bone adaptation and regeneration incorporating data from the cellular to the organ scale. A range of computational models exist which propose a variety of mechanisms by which bone is adapting and regenerating at both tissue and the cell level. Simulations become especially useful when examining complex mechanically driven systems such as the bone remodeling process and therefore have been gaining momentum in the scientific community. Unfortunately, the insight, which can be provided by cell or tissue level models, is limited, while the two systems remain unlinked and validation with detailed cell-level data are still lacking. Within this position, therefore, novel computational tools will be developed to simulate the mechanoregulation in bone associated with adaptation and regeneration. A multiscale model will be developed combining three types of computer models: Boolean networks to model interaction between molecules and cells; cellular automaton to model bone microstructure; and micro-finite element analysis to calculate mechanical tissue loading; the mechanical signal for the bone cells. In the end, these simulations will be compared to in vivo data from an animal experimental study. This PhD project is embedded in a larger group effort funded by the European Research Council (ERC) through an ERC Advanced Grant called MechAGE, which aims to investigate in vivo single-cell mechanomics of bone adaptation and regeneration in the aging mouse.

The successful candidate holds or will soon receive a master’s degree in Computational Science and Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or Applied Mathematics, preferably with some background in computational modelling with cellular automaton and Boolean networks. It is essential that the candidate is willing and motivated to work on the foundations of biological computer modelling and simulation. Additionally, excellent communication skills in English (oral and written) are required.

We look forward to receiving your online application including a motivation letter, CV, university transcripts and names and contact details of two references. Please note that we exclusively accept applications submitted through our online application portal. Applications via email or postal services will not be considered.

For further information about the group please visit our website www.bone.ethz.ch. Questions regarding the position should be directed to Dr. Patrik Christen by email patrik.christen[at]hest.ethz.ch.